Saxophones C melody saxes - why aren't they more popular

[Profusia]

P.S. I'm told (but couldn't testify obviously) that Aquilasax in New Zealand who were until recently making them had to give up because of copycats coming out of China. I won't mention any names. They were doing C melody sopranos too which I also fancied. Very sad to hear they've had to give it up.

 

[Greg Strange]

P.S. I'm told (but couldn't testify obviously) that Aquilasax in New Zealand who were until recently making them had to give up because of copycats coming out of China. I won't mention any names. They were doing C melody sopranos too which I also fancied. Very sad to hear they've had to give it up.

The Aquilasax C-Melody's were actually made in China, I think the reason they stopped making them was the inconsistent build quality of the horns...I think Steve Howard reviewed the C soprano and forum member Nick now owns it....

Greg S.

 

[Eoe]

His site said china would not make them fast enough but seams they have no problem making his sax now that he is out of business.

 

[Bernie]

No point having a C sax so you can play with the piano if you don't have a piano and nobody can play it.

Or even if you don't have a piano and everyone can play it.

 

[Jules]

Ok- we've stocked both Aquilasax and other modern Chinese C Melody horns here at the shop. The Aquila was a completely different design from the Sakkusus we hold these days- the former seemed to be directly copying the bore type of vintage American horns whereas the 'default' modern C-Meldoy is a far narrower bore size. they're totoally different beasts.... for my money the Sakkusu etc is a far better option (not a 'sales pitch' by the way, my honest opinion)

 

[Eoe]

Ok- we've stocked both Aquilasax and other modern Chinese C Melody horns here at the shop. The Aquila was a completely different design from the Sakkusus we hold these days- the former seemed to be directly copying the bore type of vintage American horns whereas the 'default' modern C-Meldoy is a far narrower bore size. they're totoally different beasts.... for my money the Sakkusu etc is a far better option (not a 'sales pitch' by the way, my honest opinion)

I looked at your Site. I am thinking about getting one . can the instrument be repaired and adjusted? How well do you think it will hold up and do you guys do quality control? My only point of reference is a Yamaha yas 480.

 

[Jules]

I looked at your Site. I am thinking about getting one . can the instrument be repaired and adjusted? How well do you think it will hold up and do you guys do quality control? My only point of reference is a Yamaha yas 480.

The Sakkusus are nice horns- no real issues re repair and adjustment (obviously, if you need replacement parts, we'd have to get them in but mercifully full replacement is rarely necessary unless a sax is very badly damaged). realistically a Yamaha 480 is a better made horn but the these saxes are decent quality student instruments- I'd personally class them in about the same bracket as Earlhams and the like ..........

 

[Eoe]

So definitely worth the money.

 

[Profusia]

The Aquilasax C-Melody's were actually made in China, I think the reason they stopped making them was the inconsistent build quality of the horns...I think Steve Howard reviewed the C soprano and forum member Nick now owns it....

Greg S.

Interesting, thanks Greg. I guess there are bound to be different accounts around of what happened, and I wasn't intending to stir up a debate. Just relaying what I'd heard from Aquilasax themselves. There might still be a chance of getting the C sop so I'll try to find that review. I assume that's on Stephen Howard's site rather than on here? I don't know Nick but if you happen to read this Nick and care to give your appraisal of the C sop I'd be very interested.

 

[rhysonsax]

Cetainly Prez cut his pro chops with the Basie band playing tenor alongside Hawk

Er, no he didn't.

Prez left the Basie band in 1934 to replace Hawk as star soloist with the Fletcher Henderson band, but that was not a big success and his stay lasted only about 6 months. He rejoined Basie in 1936 and played there with Herschel Evans from '36 to '39 who was a big-toned tenor, although more in the Texas Tenor style than the Hawkins school.

Rhys

 

[Young Col]

Beat me to it Rhys. Pres didn't stay with Henderson because Henderson wanted him to sound like Hawk. There's a picture of a young Pres holding a c mel in his father's band. He also played alto on which Buster Smith described him as " a real flash" but by the time of his first recording in '36 he had left c mel and alto well behind him.

 

[Jazzaferri]

lol ...yes pardon my seniors moment. He went to Basie in Maybe 33 and left there to replace Hawk in Henderson's band. He left Henderson after several months for Andy Kirk but then went back to Basie's band and was there til 1940 I think.

Please correct me if I am still misremembering.

 

[altissimo]

Saxophones - Sakkusu C-Melody Saxophone Review - CafeSaxophone Forum

Finally there`s a NEW C-Melody (or Contralto) Sax which can be easily bought from a proper bricks and mortar shop and pretty much handles and performs like a modern Alto or tenor .. Getting a C-Melody sax these days seems to take two routes , first and most usual is to search out a Vintage horn...

cafesaxophone.com

 

[thomsax]

Interesting, thanks Greg. I guess there are bound to be different accounts around of what happened, and I wasn't intending to stir up a debate. Just relaying what I'd heard from Aquilasax themselves. There might still be a chance of getting the C sop so I'll try to find that review. I assume that's on Stephen Howard's site rather than on here? I don't know Nick but if you happen to read this Nick and care to give your appraisal of the C sop I'd be very interested.

I've never played a modern C sax but I guess they tried to make them sound more contemporary. All the big american manufactors (Conn, Buescher, Martin, King/H.N. White and Holton) made and sold C - sopranos and - tenors. The guy tha tI bought my C saxes from knew how to play and handle these saxes. 3-5 mouthpieces came along with each sax and he explanined the differences between the original and other mouthpieces and how the mouthpieces affect the tone/pitch/timbre. The saxes was ready to use/play and I didn't start chasing after mouthpieces. On the C-soprano I can use a small chamber and short Bb soprano mouthpiece + Bb soprano reed with out changing the pitch and timbre. So an old C soprano maybe can be an alternative? But some old sopranos are keyed from E to Bb.

 

[Young Col]

Jazzaferri, Pres was with King Oliver for a while in the early 30s. He left Henderson in the summer of '34 and while he did indeed play with Andy Kirk's Clouds of Joy, it was only for a few months. Then he went home to Minneapolis and gigged around locally until he heard Basie's new band down in Kansas City and joined them in '36. Yes, he stayed with Basie until 1940, went off on his own, then rejoined Basie for a few years until the army draft caught up with him.

 

[Greg Strange]

Interesting, thanks Greg. I guess there are bound to be different accounts around of what happened, and I wasn't intending to stir up a debate. Just relaying what I'd heard from Aquilasax themselves. There might still be a chance of getting the C sop so I'll try to find that review. I assume that's on Stephen Howard's site rather than on here? I don't know Nick but if you happen to read this Nick and care to give your appraisal of the C sop I'd be very interested.

Aquilasax Celeste ii C soprano saxophone review

and if you have plenty of coin...

C Soprano Saxophone - International Woodwind Inc.

and Nick Wyver is the forum member...

Greg S.

 

[Jeanette]

and Nick Wyver is the forum member...

@Nick Wyver

Jx

 

[Nick Wyver]

I can't really add a great deal more to Stephen's review of it. I generally play it with a Brancher J17 which gives a better tone (to my ears) than the 2 supplied mouthpieces. As Stephen said, the biggest issue is playing the thing nicely in tune. It requires some work. However, unlike all the C tenors I've played (vintage ones), it's a perfectly usable sax.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I've just done a quick recording with it, if anyone's interested. Please bear in mind I haven't played this in some months and I've got a few breathing issues at the moment (just to get the excuses out of the way ). It's with the Brancher mouthpiece.
https://app.box.com/s/9sbz0037du276vwcjtwcwoq7omm9m6gq

 

[rhysonsax]

I've just a quick recording with it, if anyone's interested. Please bear in mind I haven't played this in some months and I've got a few breathing issues at the moment (just to get the excuses out of the way ). It's with the Brancher mouthpiece.
https://app.box.com/s/9sbz0037du276vwcjtwcwoq7omm9m6gq

Sounding good @Nick Wyver . I hardly ever play my modern C sop but two things strike me when I do (three things if you count my audience).

1. It seems to have a lot less resistance than my Bb sops.
2. It feels weird when you finger a note and it comes out sounding a tone higher than expected (from experience with the Bb sop). I never get that when swapping between any of the other saxes, including C melody and Bb tenor.

Rhys